Originally Posted by
LOMCEVAK
ZA369 had the production serial BS051 indicating that it was a Strike variant and not a Trainer (they were BT0XX). Therefore, if this stick was from ZA369 it was from when it was a GR1. Just a little to add on the buttons etc: The ICO paddle switch on the lower front of the handgrip disengaged the nosewheel steering as well as instantly disengaging the autopilot and flight director. The autopilot engage/disengage button that had been removed and was formerly located to the left of the pitch/roll trim switch was removed as part of mod 1749 (from memory) which was the fitment of the Autopilot and Flight Director System control panel on top of the left coaming. The black cover over the weapon release button was, I believe, later removed once the nuclear delivery option ceased (it certainly was removed from the rear cockpit stick of trainer variants of GR4 and F3). The top button on the left of the handgrip was the radio transmit button and I cannot remember what the bottom was and I don't remember ever using it; it may have been a radio mute button. I will do some research.
Cheers that is very helpful, I think the stick must be from ZA369 as that's the serial on the MOD form 731 which also has a part serial number which corresponds to the serial on the info plate on the stick. It looks like it wasn't a trainer version as you say because of the production serial number. Were the trainers built for that purpose or were they just modified? I did notice that this aircraft was one of 3 GR1As that served with the RAF component TTTE and it was a recce version, again I ask were the recce versions built for that purpose or could they be quite easily modified and converted back to a strike role, or could it have started life as a GR1 and then got converted to GR1A, really what i would like to know if the Tornado my stick is from (even if its possible the stick was not the original) has seen any combat. I would like to know if it has and someone suggested i try contacting the MOD and seeing of they can give me any additional info on it like what operations it was involved in, if it was only ever used as a recce aircraft then their will probably be not much info available.
Thanks once again to everyone who had helped me with my inquiry it is very much appreciated.